The traffic calming measure was recommended to be put in place at the west end entrance of Rothbury to stop drivers from speeding along the main street.

But after little response to a consultation, which included residents in the surrounding areas and to which only 25 replied, it was found that more people were against the plans than for them and they were refused by Northumberland County Council.

Its policy is to have 70 per cent approval from consultees for plans to be implemented. However, Rothbury Parish Council said it had no knowledge of the policy being in force.

Coun Alan Fendley said: "We in this council have spent a lot of time and effort on this one and we are told that a decision is unanimous on the basis of a poor response.

"It really does raise pretty fundamental issues for what we have been intending to do all these years."

Councillors added that the believed the policy had been changed.

Coun Jeff Reynalds said: "That has been treated as a referendum. A vote that nobody knew was a vote, a secret referendum, and if we had known perhaps we could have made sure that the right response was made."

County councillor Steven Bridgett, ward member for Rothbury, said: "It has always been that the council needs 70 per cent approval from those members of the public responding to go ahead with traffic calming measures. If we were to change that in Rothbury it would set a precendent right across Northumberland."

He added: "I don't think we would be having this discussion if the responses had been in favour."

Coun Fendley said: "We do not enter in to debates purely on the basis of decisions I don't agree with."

Councillors said they would be talking to Northumbria Police as they had not responded to the consultation.

Coun Fendley added that the people who were against the plans were mainly concerned about the loss of paths in that area.